Art of extracting metals, such as gold, silver, copper, or nickel, from their native ores.



VJILLIAM D. RENNIE, OF HACKENSACK, NEW

JERSEY. ASSIGNOR- TO UNTVERSAL ORE REDUCTION COMPANY, OF PHOENIX,ARIZONA TERRITORY, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA TERRITORY.

ART OF EXTRAGTING METALS, SUCH AS GOLD, SILVER, COPPER, OR NICKEL, FROMN0 Drawing.

from Their Native Ores, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is directed particularly to a novel electrolyticprocess for effecting the extraction of metals of the inatureabovereferred to from refractory ores thereof, such, for instance, as orescon- T taining jpyrites where the metal, for in-" stance gold, is coatedexteriorly with iron, or an oxidof iron; or such externally coated oresgenerallyas will not ordinarily be reduced in practice by mercury, .inthe usual process wherein mercury is utilized, owing to their coatedcondition and to the fact that the mercury cannot, therefore, act uponthe metal until the coating'isfirst removed.

My novel process consists broadly'in'treating a mixture or compositionof Water, fluorspar and a powder of the ore to be treated i'to theaction of an electrical current as this mixture is caused to flow orpass between the anodes and cathodes of an electrolytic cell, and tothis end I-prefer to utilizewith the powdered ore a salt, such asfiner-spar, and water in the following proportions 2,000

pounds of powdered ore; 2,000'pou'nds of water and 300 pounds of thesalt, such, for instance, as fluor-spar. The powdered ore and water arethoroughly mixed and then caused to circulate, as above indicated,between the anodes and cathodes of the cell by any of the well knownmethods of agitation or circulation and the current potential isadjusted to suit the conductivity of the particular ore being treated.This action is continued during the treatment of the: ore for a periodof 6 hours. At'the start, however, 100 pounds of the fluor-spar is usedand at the end of two hours a second 100 pounds are added, the remaining100 pounds being added at the end of hours and the process continuingfor the extraction of the metal an additional 2 hours.

as thus continued will cause the metal, say

- ,gold, to be extracted and deposited upon the cathode'of the cell,usually to the extent of from 90 to 94% thereof. This process willSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 19, 1910. Serial No. 556,361.

This action THEIR NATIVE ORES.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

answer for all simple refractory ores and the resultant electrolyte,after the first action, may again be used for a new charge by adding,after each action, 45 pounds of fluor-spar per 2,000 pounds of ore. Iadd this as follows :15 pounds at the start; 15 pounds, two hours later,and the remaining 15 pounds ,at the end of four hours, the processcontinuing as before for the succeeding two hours.

I have ascertained that by mixing fluor' spar with powders of the oreshereinbefore described, which ores usually contain iron, and in statedproportions as described, and causing such mixture to pass between theelectrodes in an electrolytic cell and under source of electricalenergy, until substantially all of the metal is deposited on the cathodeof the cell.

2. The descrihed process-of electrolytically extracting a metal from thepowdered ore thereof, consisting in causing a mixture embracing thepowder of the ore and fluorspar in suspension in water to be passed between the lytic cell until substantially all of the metal is depositedon the cathode of the cell.

3. The described process of electrolytically "extracting a metal-fromits ore, consisting in causing a mixture embracing the powdered ore andfiuor-spar in suspension to be circulated continuously between the anodeand cathode of an electrolytic cell and simultaneously subjected to thecurrent action of the cell, until substantially all of the metal isdeposited on the cathode thereof.

, 4, The described process of electrolytically extracting a metal fromits ore, consisting in first mixing water and a powder of the ore andthen causing the mixture to flow or be moved continuously between theanodes and anode and cathode of an electro-' electrolytic action of aextracting a metal from an orc containing pyrites, conslsting 1n subect1ng a mixture or composition containing water, a powder of the oreand fluor-spar to the electrolytic action of a source of electricalenergy, until substantially all of the metal is deposited on the cathodeof the cell.

6. The". described process of electrolytically extractin'g'a metal froma powdered ore containing pyrites, consisting; in causing a mixtureembracing -the powder of the ore and 'fluor-spar in suspension in waterto be passed between the anode and cathode of an electrolytic cell untilsubstantially all ofthe metal is deposited on the cathode of the cell.

7. The described process of electrolytically extracting a metal from anore containing pyrites, consisting in causing a mixture em Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing bracingthe powdered ore and fluor-spar in suspension to be circulatedcontinuously between the anode and cathode of an electrolytic cell andsimultaneously subjected to the current act-ion of the cell untilsubstantially all of the metal is deposited on the cathode tween theanodes and cathodes of an elec- I trolytic cell connected to a source ofelectrical energy; then adding a definite amount of a salt, asfluor-spar, and subsequently adding a like definite amount of the samesalt at a definite period of time thereafter; again addin a further likeamount of said salt at a further subsequent period thereafter, andfinally continuing the movement of the electrolyte'and electrolyticaction until practically all of the metal has been deposited on thecathode of the cell.

In testimony whereof T have signed my name .to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM D. RENNIE.

Vitnesses:

BARTON B. WARD, C. J. Kin'rnnn.

the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

